Machine for cutting grass from railroad-tracks.



P. W. WALLACE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING GRASS PROM RAILROAD TRACKS.

APPLICATION FILED JuLY'zs, 1912.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 awomto'a F. WJWALLAGE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING GRASS FROM RAILROAD TRACKS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1912.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mu Memo m enema FRANK W. WALLACE, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING GRASS FROM RAILROAD-TRACKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

Application filed July 25, 1912. Serial No. 711,600.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. lVALLAoE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Cutting Grass from Railroad-Tracks; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to improvements in grass and weed cu'ttinmachines and particularly to machines or cutting grass and weeds fromrailway tracks.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of this characterhaving an improved construction and arrangement of cut ting blades andmeans for supporting and yieldingly holding the same in position. forcutting the weeds and grass from the. tracks.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character which will besimple, strong and durable in construction, eflicient and reliable inoperation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, and the combination and arrangern'ent ofparts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure l is a side elevation of myimproved grass and weed cutting machine; Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3, is a vertical cross section of thesame taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4;, a similar view taken on line kt of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on line 5-5 of Fig.3.Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the cutting blades of themachine. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a modified form of cutting blades.

In the embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing,I provide a platform 1 having a suitable supporting frame 2 to which aresecured the bearing standards 3 in which the axles 4: of the supportingwheels 5 are fixed. These parts may be of any suitable construction andde- Slgllaxle of the machine are bearing brackets 6 in which isrevolubly mounted the power trans-- mitting shaft 7 of the machine, saidshaft having fixed thereon a sprocket gear 8 which is connected by asprocket chain 9 to a sprocket gear 10 on the shaft 11 of a suitablemotor 12 arranged on the platform-l of the machine. Also fixed on theshaft. 7 is a driving pulley 13 which is connected by a crossing belt 14with a pulley 1'5 fixed on the rear axle 4 of the machine whereby thelatter and the wheels 5 fixed thereon are driven to propel the machine.

Secured to and depending from the side bars of the supporting frame 2and preferably in line with the brackets 6 are frame supporting brackets16 to which are pivotally connected the inner ends of the side bars 17ofa frame 18 which carries and adjustably supports the cutting mechanismof the machine. Secured to the forward end of the frame 18 are hangers19 in the lower ends of which is revolubly mounted a blade sup ortingand operating shaft 20. The sha t 20 is of sufficient len th to extendentirely across the width of the machine and a suitable distance beyondthe outer sides of the track rails as clearly shown in F 3 of thedrawings. On the shaft 20 midway between its ends is fixedly mounted asprocket gear inion 21 which is connected by a driving c ain 22 to' asprocket gear 23 fixed 011 the ower transmitting shaft 7 whereby thehaft 20 is revolved in the proper direction for operating the cuttingmechanism.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft 20 are a series of blade supporting plates24 having radially projecting arms 25, three of which are shown in thepresent instance. The plates 24 are arranged in pairs on the shaft 20,one pair of the plates being arranged on plates are connected by bladeoperating rods 26 to which are pivotally connected the innor ends ofseries of radially projecting cutting blades 27, said blades beingpreferably in the form of narrow plates tapered from their inner towardtheir outer ends and having on their outer ends right angular lugs 28.The blades 27 are spaced apart on the rods 26 by spacing collars 29,arranged as shown. Also secured to the arms of the pairs of bladesupporting plates are blade supporting rods 29 on which the blades dropand are supported when carried around by the plates 24 and rods 26. Bythus supporting the blades it will be seen that they will be forciblyswung around to operative positions for engaging and cut tin the grassand weeds through the center an along the outer sides of the road bedwhen the cutting mechanism is revolved in the manner described and thatwhen any of the blades come into engagement with an obstruction saidblades will readily swing or give back thereby permitting the blades topass over the obstruction without being broken or injured.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is shown a modified form of cutting blades 27which in some instances may be advantageously employed instead of theblades shown in the previous figures of thedrawing.

In order to permit the cutting mechanism to be raised or lifted to clearfixed obstructions such as cattle guards, switch rails and the like, Iprovide an elevating mechanism which is here shown and preferablycomprises a coarsely threaded screw 32 which is engaged with a nut 33suitably mounted in the platform of the. machine. The lower end of theshaft 32 is preferably connected as at 34 to the front end of thesupporting frame 17 of the cutting mechanism and on the upper end of thescrew 32 is arranged a hand wheel or other suitable operating device 35.The frame 17 is supported in an operative position and the outwardmovement thereof limited by means of frame supporting stirrups or haners 36 secured to the side bars of the platform supporting frame 2, saidhanger or stirrups also serving as means to guide and hold the frame 17against lateral movement.

By constructing and arranging a cutting machine as herein shown anddescribed it will be seen that when the same is propelled over thetracks of a railway, all vegetation growing between and along the outersides of the tracks will be out.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will bereadily understood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is;

1. In a grass and weed cutting machine of the character described amovable supporting frame forming a part thereof, a cutting mechanismcomprising a revolubly mounted blade operating shaft, blade supportingplates fixed thereon, blade holding rods secured to said plates, seriesof cutting blades carried by said rods and blade supporting rods alsoconnected with said plates, and means for adjusting the movablesupporting frame, whereby the cutting mechanism is properly adjusted.

2. In a grass and weed cutting machine of the character described, a,cutting mechanism comprising a pivotally supported frame, hangerssecured thereto, a blade operating shaft revolubly mounted in saidhangers and geared to a moving part of the machine, a series of bladesupporting plates fixed to said shaft, blade holding rods connected withsaid plates, series of cutting blades carried by and spaced suitabledistances apart on said blade holding rods, a frame adjusting screwoperatively mounted and connected to the frame of the cutting mechanismwhereby the latter may be raised and lowered and held in adjustedposition.

3. In a grass and weed cutting machine of the character described, amain wheeled supporting frame, a driving mechanism ar ranged thereonwhereby the machine is pro pelled, a cutting mechanism, a supportingframe pivotally connected to said main supporting frame and adapted tosupport said cutting mechanism in operative position, said cuttingmechanism comprising an operating shaft geared to said drivingmechanism, series of blade supporting plates fixed on said shaft, bladeholding rods arranged between and connected with said plates, a seriesof cutting blades pivotally secured'to said rods and blade supportingrods also secured between said plates.

4. In a grass and weed cutting machine of the character described, aplatform supporting frame, supporting and driving wheels operativelymounted thereon, a motor carried by said frame, a revolubly mountedpower transmitting shaft driven by said motor and geared to said drivingwheels whereby the machine is propelled, a cutting mechanism comprisinga pivoted supporting frame, stirrups to support and hold said frame in.position, hangers carried by said frame, a blade supporting andoperating shaft revolubly mounted in said hangers and geared to saidpower transmitting shaft, blade supporting plates fixed on said shaft,radial arms on said plates, blade supporting shafts secured to saidplates, series of my hand in presence of two subscribing wih bladescar'ied byd siid rods, szriid nesses. I a es ing tapere tower t eirouter en s, right angular lugs on said ends, and means FRANK WALLACE 5to ralse and lower said cutting mechanism Witnesses:

to inoperative and operative positions. SAML. B. SMITH,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set W.- D. (JONNELL.

